An estimated 150,000 people are expected to visit Knock shrine in the nine days following the beginning of the national novena there next Tuesday, August 14th.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first such novena in 1977 and traditionally the largest crowd attends on the feast of the Assumption, August 15th, and on the anniversary of the apparition at Knock on August 21st.
It is the busiest time of the year at Knock shrine, the most-visited place in Ireland, attracting in the region of one million people, many pilgrims from abroad.
The 3pm session each day of the novena will include a Eucharist procession, concluding with Benediction at the Apparition Chapel. Each 8.30pm session will conclude with a candlelight Rosary procession.
The Anointing of the Sick will take place each day during the 3pm session, except on August 15th and 19th when it will take place at 2. 30pm.
Confession will be available for nine hours every day in the Reconciliation Chapel, where a large team of confessors in various languages, including Polish, will be available.
The theme of the novena this year is "The joy of following Christ", a phrase from Pope Benedict's address to the Irish bishops during their ad limina visit to Rome last October.
During the novena, some well-known speakers will reflect on aspects of the theme.
These will include the Catholic primate Archbishop Seán Brady, Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam, Bishop Philip Boyce of Raphoe, Bishop Christopher Jones of Elphin and the Church of Ireland Bishop Right Rev Richard Henderson of Tuam.
